Larysa Rybyk
Candidate of Psychological Sciences. Head of the International Association of Psychologists for Work with Grief and Bereavement
ORCID 0000-0002-3280-1406
DOI - https://doi.org/10.52363/dcpp-2024.1.9
Keywords: grief theory, bereavement, mourning, grief, loss of a loved one.
The article analyzes the development of grief theory, the impact of loss on an individual's psyche, and behavioral reactions to experiencing a severe loss. It examines the factors that influence the dynamics of experiencing loss and the reactions of grief. The evolution of grief theory continues, and understanding this process allows for tracking changes in mourning traditions within the sociocultural space and applying adequate methods of assistance in practical work.
The article provides an explanation of the category of grief, which is understood as a subjective state, not static but dynamic, arising spontaneously as a reaction to loss and characterized by a complex of various feelings and emotions. Basic approaches to the division of the phases of grief and severe loss are presented. Contemporary global practical grief therapy moves away from linear models and is more oriented towards the Dual Process Model (DPM). Within this model, it is suggested that the resolution of grief depends on individual oscillation between two processes – one directed at feeling the loss and the other directed at restoration.
The description of experiencing grief highlights the specific features of the process of experiencing loss by adults, consisting of phases of numbness, yearning, disorganization and despair, and the phase of reorganization. Additionally, an analysis is provided of the differences in experiencing loss by children, who do not exhibit the shock reaction that adults do. Secondly, for adults, it is crucial to comprehend the loss to move forward, whereas a child continues to interact with the deceased as a significant object, influencing their psychological development. Furthermore, the study examines grief as a psychological trauma that causes stress disorders and reveals the specifics of reactions to the loss of a loved one due to suicide.
The article repeatedly emphasizes that the grieving process is prolonged; the absence of obvious emotional manifestations of grief is not an indication of the completion of this process but rather may indicate a deviation from the typical grieving process and may require additional support and assistance from a specialist.